I kind of asked this on my fitness thread, but thought it warranted its own thread.

I drink ALOT of diet coke, and I'm trying to cut back. Diet Coke is like my coffee. I usually drink Diet Coke in the morning, and during the day at work, and then fizzy flavored water when I get home at night (the Sam's Choice kind from Wal-mart.) If I drink fizzy flavored water, do I not get the same benefits as drinking plain 'o water? Is there anything I can add to plain 'o water to make it more exciting? What about green tea?

This may sound silly, but I drink sugar-free Kool-Aide. I figure, if you're just adding powder to a quarter of water, you're still drinking a quart of water. Your body breaks these things down as soon as it gets in your system anyway.

I drink a lot of plain water with a squirt of lime juice in it (you know, from those little bottles shaped like a lime). Also, hot water with a squirt of lemon juice (same deal). I also like herbal tea, especially spicy ones.

I think pop is pretty bad for you, so I'm glad you are trying to make a change. I'm sure the fizzy water is better, if its not the kind full of artificial sweetners.

Yeah the fizzy flavored water has artificial sweeteners, so I should probably cut down on that too. I'll have to try the squeeze bottles of lemon & lime juice. I have tried cutting lemons and limes to put in my plain water, but I seem to always forget about them, and then sometimes it seems like too much bother to dirty a knife, and then I end up with a lemon in my fridge and wondering how long it's been there.

Yeah the fizzy flavored water has artificial sweeteners, so I should probably cut down on that too. I'll have to try the squeeze bottles of lemon & lime juice. I have tried cutting lemons and limes to put in my plain water, but I seem to always forget about them, and then sometimes it seems like too much bother to dirty a knife, and then I end up with a lemon in my fridge and wondering how long it's been there.

Originally Posted by JillC

OH oh! If you find a mystery lemon, cut it up into 8ths and put it in the garbage disposal! It makes the nicest smell. I've actually been known to buy a lemon to cure a stinky garbage disposal.

THe little squeeze bottles are great. I got a key lime one at Trader Joes the other day.

i buy the Crystal Light on the go packets. I just add one packet to my water bottle and shake it up. I really like the iced tea and lemonade flavors. I get bored with just water, and this helps me get my 8 glasses in for the day!

There's a lot of debate among professionals over whether flavored waters and sparkling waters actually count as drinking "water". Diet sodas definitely do not count, and I think most nutritionists also agree that whereas crystal light or sugar free koolaid are better than diet coke, they're a lot worse than flavored or sparkling waters, and of course worse than regular water.

I suggest trying to force yourself to drink a certain amount of water in a day. For example, drink a glass in the morning before work, a liter at work before lunch, another liter at work after lunch, and a few glasses when you get home at night. This is what I try to do. I still drink one diet coke at lunch every day. You'll find that after you do it for a while, you get used to it, and will actually prefer drinking regular water. Chances are your body is pretty dehydrated and you don't even know it. And if you are drinking this much water, you really won't have the time to drink anything else!

"I don't know! I don't know why I did it, I don't know why I enjoyed it, and I don't know why I'll do it again!" -BART SIMPSON

I'm a science teacher and I do a demo with my students (and parents on parents' night) on coke and diet coke and you would DIE if you knew how unhealthy it really is for you. All the parents tell me they're quitting immediately, and about 50% of my students quit drinking soda.

I was a lifelong water hater and have since trained myself to drink it, plain. I have long-lasting negative health effects from neglecting water for so long and no, diet coke does not count as a "liquid," since caffeine is a diuretic. These problems are serious -- start drinking water! I prefer room temperature water. I keep a bottle with me at all times.

One way I like water is with cucumber -- cucumber water instead of lemon water. Another way to get water is to drink warm/hot water with some lemon mixed in.

Is drinking juices like Tropicana, Minute Maid, Snapple, just as bad? I love juice and I know they have a lot of sugar but are they so bad?

Originally Posted by curlinicator

Are you trying to lose weight? Juices have a TON of calories. You are MUCH better off eating fruit. There is a HUGE push in the public health community right now to get kids to drink less "sugar sweetnened beverages" which included any juice that isn't 100% juice. Consumption of these drinks is really strongly linked to obesity. Basically, you'ld be better off eating a piece of chocolate cake than drinking a bottle of snapple every day, speaking from the standpoint of obesity.

For 100% fruit juices they still have a lot of calories and sugar, but at least they have a few more nutrients. Remember that a serving should be 6-8oz max, though, not the 12 to 20 oz bottles!

"I don't know! I don't know why I did it, I don't know why I enjoyed it, and I don't know why I'll do it again!" -BART SIMPSON

Green tea. It is an antioxidant, burns fat and ups metabolism. Great for the dieter!!! I'd be careful of drinking too much splenda or nutrasweet that is found in some of the diet drinks listed here. The artificial sweetners can cause sugar cravings.

It's honestly scary to hear all these things. I'm going to make a real effort to cut down dramatically and drink more water. I like water but sometimes it's not what hits the spot. I just have to get used to drinking it. This is a great thread with good info!

Originally Posted by curlinicator

You will get used to the water, I promise! I used to LOVE juice, and now I have a glass of juice probably every few months. I drink a lot of water, about 1 diet coke a day, and occasionally some crystal light or sparkling water.

More about the juice, studies have shown that a main problem, particularly with children, is that when extra calories come from liquid, your body doesn't register them the same as extra calories from food. So, if you ate a high calorie snack, you would be likely to eat less at your next meal. But if you drink your calories, you will still eat the "regular" amount at your next meal.

"I don't know! I don't know why I did it, I don't know why I enjoyed it, and I don't know why I'll do it again!" -BART SIMPSON